Slaves To Christ

​SLAVES TO CHRIST “I am not your slave!” My wife’s voice echos in my soul as I write these words. How many times have I sought to be served, rather than serve. Thank God for a fellow-Christ-following spouse who knows when to push back on my desire to be served. My...

​SLAVES TO CHRIST

“I am not your slave!” My wife’s voice echos in my soul as I write these words. How many times have I sought to be served, rather than serve. Thank God for a fellow-Christ-following spouse who knows when to push back on my desire to be served. My natural tendency is to want to be served. I confess that as sin, right here and now, and reflect on Christ’s words in Matthew, Chapter 20:

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:20-28 NIV)

PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

Dear child, you are doing much better with your wife, and with others. You have truly embraced my posture of being a servant. Keep it up.

Thank you Lord Jesus. I am here to serve, and for some reason, I have finally gotten that mindset. Why has it taken me so very long to come to a place of truly serving you and your people?

Child, some things take time. Full surrender to me is what is required to come into line with me and my will for your life. Even the small things that you hold on to prevents you from being fully and completely surrendered.

LITTLE IDOLS

Lord Jesus, it seems like it is a daily surrender that is necessary. That every day, we need to fully and completely give all of ourselves to you. Otherwise, it is easy to start talking back areas of our lives that have been surrendered, but are no longer fully surrendered.

Yes, my child. You can think of them as little idols. While you may not have large idols in your life, you may have little pockets of small idols. An idol is anything you put before me.

Like comfort, Lord. Sometimes, I want to put my comfort ahead of serving you. I want to serve you, as long as it is comfortable. But when it is uncomfortable, inconvenient, or requires pain, sometimes I want to choose to be served, rather than serve.

Child, this is your natural flesh, wanting to have comfort. Following me often requires you to be uncomfortable, and to do things that are not easy. Like being a servant.

DYING TO SELF

Yes, Lord. It is ego-deflating, and good to be in a posture of serving others, and not myself. When I lose that mindset, I am creating an idol.

Yes, child. It may be a very small idol, but an idol just the same. You have to be willing to sacrifice your life for others, like I sacrificed my life for you.

Thank you for this lesson Lord Jesus. Help me to stay in this posture of surrender and the mindset of being a servant to all. Help me today to serve you, and all who you send me to serve, and that means all whom I meet, with all whom I work, and all those with whom I live.

Do this, my child, and you will find greater love, joy, and peace in your human existence, and great rewards in eternity with me.

KEEPING AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

Yes, Lord. I need to keep my eye on the prize of your kingdom of heaven. This life is but a small dot on the timeline of eternity. Soon, I will be with you in heaven. Soon, I will only have one job: praising you along with the angels. Now, in this earthly vessel, I need to die to myself, my wants, my perceived needs, so I can better serve you.

You have spoken well. Go now, and love others like you have been loved by me.

Amen!

Your aspiring (and sometimes reluctant) servant,
Daniel M.
26 June 2023

POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this daily, transparent conversation with God blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. If you ever want to chat, reach out at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate, daily Conversations with Christ.